Feature
Writing

with Beth Ryan,Freelance Writer

If you ask
the question "how and why" things happen, then you
probably like reading feature stories in newspapers and magazines.

What is
a feature story?

A feature takes an in-depth look at whats going on
behind the news.

It gets into the lives of people.

It tries to explain why and how
a trend developed.

Unlike news, a feature does not
have to be tied to a current event or a breaking story. But it
can grow out of something thats reported in the news.

It may be a profile of a person or a group -- an athlete,
a performer, a politician, or a community worker or a team, a
choir or a political organization. Or perhaps its an in-depth
look at a social issue -- like violence in Canadian schools or
eating disorders among young women. It could also be a story
that gives the reader background on a topic thats in the
news -- like a story that explains how land mines work and the
history of their use in war.

A feature story is usually longer than a news story -- but
length is not a requirement! Whats more important is the
form the story takes.

Think of the feature
as the journalistic equivalent of an essay.
Follow these guidelines:

start with a premise
or theme

present information
and opinions that back you point,

bring the reader
to a conclusion.

The feature often explores several different points of views,
even when the story is about one particular person.

The
story behind the newsHeres
an example of how a feature can explain and explore a story that
makes news:

Your local newspaper reports on the
front page that school enrollments are dropping in your small
community. The reason? Many people are being forced to leave
the town to look for jobs in bigger cities and obviously, their
children go with them. As a reporter you can go beyond the facts
and figures in the news story by talking to one of the families
who are leaving. How do they feel? What made them decide to go?
What will they miss about home? What are they expecting in their
new community? How do the children feel about leaving their school
and their friends? Or you can look at the story from the point
of view of the people who remain in the town. Whats it
like to lose friends and family to far-away cities? How does
it affect the school? What about the local economy?

The news story tells the audience what happened. The feature
will tellthem why and how it happened,
how the people involved are reacting, and what impact the decision
is having on other people.

Personality
in profileIndulge your curiosity -- and that of
your readers -- with a profile of an interesting person.

You can look at someone whos making news in your community,
province or country. Or it could be someone who's relatively
unknown to the public but who has done something unusual or remarkable.

Heres one example:

Your town elects a full slate of
councillors to represent and serve the community. One is a 19-year-old
student who was active in youth parliament and student politics.
That makes him the youngest elected official in your province.
But thats not the whole story! He gets the most votes of
any of the councillors, and according to the election rules,
that makes him deputy mayor. Whats it like to be a politician
when youre still in your teens? What does your life experience
add to the council? Are you seen as a spokesman for your generation
-- but not the community as a whole? What do the other councillors
think of their young colleague? Do people take you seriously?

That young politician may not be famous. But hes certainly
done something new. And his experiences will be something that
others will want to learn more about.

Take a look at people from the world of sports, entertainment,
politics, science, technology, business, health, international
development, community activism, education, the military, the
fine arts or any other field that interests you.

You can choose a subject and find out the basic facts of the
persons life and work. What have they learned so far? Are
there any surprises? Is there an area of this person's life or
work that the student would now like to focus on?

Write your profile by telling your
readers the facts of this person's life  while adding the
color and details that make them unique.

Talk to the person themselves whenever
possible and use their own words to help tell their story.

Tracking
a trendMany
of the best stories come from reporters observations of
the world around them. Heres just one example of how you
can come across a great feature story in your daily life:

YOU are hanging around with friends
at lunch time and talking about plans for the weekend. Someone
says theyve heard that the town council is considering
a curfew for teens. Everyone under 16 has to be off the streets
by 11pm on weekends. You have your own curfew - set by your parents
- but you are surprised to learn that the mayor wants to put
one in place for everyone.

You talk to some of your friends
to find out what they think. You and other concerned teens go
over to the town hall and ask the mayor or one of the councillors
why they see the need for a curfew. You surf the Net and find
out what other towns and cities have been doing.

You find that this is a bit of trend
in North America.

What you now have is the basis for a really interesting feature.
You have taken a little piece of information and investigated
further to find out whats going on. The story will focus
on the issue and the thoughts and feeling of the people involved
 namely local teenagers and the people who made the decision
about the curfew.

Feature
writing tipsThe
basic guidelines for good writing apply to all types of writing.
However, if you expect to hold your readers attention for 1,000
words or more, your writing must be must be lively, specific
and clear.

As a student writer you have to start with a lede that
captures your readers attention.

It could be an anecdote you have
heard during the course of your research.

It could be a description of a person,
place or thing that draws the reader in and encourages them to
learn more.

It could a newsy lede that highlights
the point of the story.

Move your story along with descriptions of what happened,
quotes from people involved in the issue, and details that place
the reader in the midst of the action. Make sure your ending
is meaningful. Your closing words should make an impact on your
readers and tie the various strands of your story together.

A powerful quote can often make for a good ending. Or you
may want to come full circle and refer back to a word or an image
used in your opening sentences.